Utility box



April 7, 1959 Filed May 27-, 1955 G. A. SCHWEIKHARDI UTILITY 0x 2 Sheets-heet' 1 5;. INVENTOR.

GEORGE A. SCHWE/KHAED BY mo. W

April 7,1959 s. A. SCHWEIKHARD 2,380,918

UTILITY BOX Filed May 27,1955 I ZSheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 650E654. SCHWEIKHARD.

United States PatentO UTILITY BOX George A. Schweikhard, Hollywood, Calif., assignor of one-tenth to Gadget-Of-The-Month Club, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application May 27, 1955, Serial No. 511,529

3 Claims. (Cl. 223-407) Generally speaking, the present invention relates to the utility box art, and, more particularly, it relates to 'a selectively openable utility box which, in the present specifically illustrated form, can be adapted for use as a tackle box, sewing box, artists box, workbench box, tool box, and the like.

. The present invention is so constructed as to be utilized onsvirtually any type of level, non-level, flat or irregular supporting surface, and to maintain the contents therein constantly level at all times.

While applicant is aware of the fact that a very considerable number of utility boxes have been developed in the past, most of these can be used 'only upon 'a level, or flat, underlying supporting surface.

It is further true that most of the prior art devices do not make the entire interior conveniently accessible at 'one time, nor do they maintain the contents of said interior constantly level in a non-spillable position.

: Furthermore, most of the prior art devices are not so constructed as to be capable of utilization on virtually any type of level, non-level, fiat or irregular supporting surface, and to maintain the contents therein constantly level at all times.

- Generally speaking, the utility box of the present invention may include: a hollow body provided with base means at the bottom thereof, said hollow body being provided with a first side access opening thereinto and a second opposed side access opening thereinto, a first closure means having a free upper end and a pivotal connection lower end, said lower end being effectively pivotally connected with respect to said hollow body adjacent the lower terminus of said first side access opening, and having its free upper end positioned for effective pivotal opening and closing movementvwith respect to said ,side Jaccess opening, and a second closure means havinga free upper end and a pivotal connection lower end, said lower end being effectively pivotally connected-with respect'to said hollow body adjacent the lower terminus of said second side access-opening, and having its free upper end positioned for effective pivotal opening and closing movementwith respect to said second side access opening.

At least one of said closure means (usually each closure ing ends pivotally mounting said object-supporting portion 1 across said chamber in a longitudinal direction virtually parallel to the longitudinal axis of pivotal connection of said closure means with respect to the body means. V L From the above'description of the basic generic form of the-present invention, it. will be apparent to those skilled in the art that virtually all of the disadvantages of prior Patented Apr. 7, 1959 art utility boxes are virtually entirely eliminated and overcome in and through the use of the present invention.

With the above points in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a utility box apparatus of cheap, simple, novel, easy-to-operate and easy-to-maintain construction capable of resting on virtually any type of solid supporting surface and maintaining the contents therein at a virtually horizontal and level angle.

Other and allied objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a careful perusal, examination and study of the accompanying illustrations, the present specification and the appended claims.

To facilitate understanding, reference will be made to the hereinbelow described drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a top plan view of one illustrative form of the present invention (primarily, though not necessarily, intended for use as a fishing tackle box) with the right closure member opened out into the fully extended position with respect to the right side access opening and with underlying base of the object resting on a fiat underlying surface (said surface not being shown);

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device of Fig. l as seen from the left thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with both closure means completely removed and both pivotal connection means normally connecting said closure means with respect to the side walls of the box also completely removed for clarity;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view as indicated by the arrows IVIV in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a reduced-size elevational view of an aspect similar to Fig. 4 but showing the entire device in completely closed and locked position;

Fig. 6 is a reduced- 'ze perspective view generally similar to Figs. 1 and 4 except that both closure members have been opened with respect to both side access openings into fully extended relationship, and theentire device resting upon a flat underlying supporting surface (not shown);

Fig. 7 is another view of the device of Fig. 6 resting upon an irregularly-shaped underlying supporting surface, such as a rock or the like, and illustrates the effectiveness of the construction of the present inventionfor firm supporting cooperation with a variety of difierent types and configurations of supporting surfaces;

Fig. 8 is a double-purpose view of the device of Figs. 6 and 7 illustrating in one aspect its effective supported cooperation with respect to an upstanding tree stump or the like, and also illustrating how the device may be effectively supported with-respect to a flat underlying surface of limited lateral dimensionsit should be clearly understood that these are alternate methods of support and normally it will not occur simultaneously; i

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view similar in aspect to the left outer end of the left closure means illustrated in Fig. 6--however this illustrates a modified form of longitudinal object supporting means taking the form of spoolholding means rather than upwardly opening tray means of the type employed in the first form of the present invention illustrated in Figs. 1-8; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail view of a modified longitudinal object supporting means illustrated in Fig. 9 it should be noted that all other portions of the device are removed in this view for clarity.

Generally speaking, one form or aspect of the utility box of the present invention may include: a hollow upstanding body having an underlying base and side wall'means including two opposed laterally spaced upstanding lateral side walls and two longitudinally spaced upstanding end ,side walls. The two opposed lateral side walls are provided, respectively,..with a, first; side access opening extending from the exterior of the hollow upstanding body into the interior thereof and a second opposed side .access opening extending from the .exterior of the hollow upstanding body into the interior thereof, said side access openings being similarly spaced from and positioned above said underlying base. Also ill).- cluded is a first closure means having (a free upper end and :a pivotal connection lower end, said lower end being effectively pivotally connected with respect to a first one of said lateral side walls adjacent the lower ftenminus of said first :side access opening, and having :its free upper end positioned for effective pivotal opening and closing :movement with respect to said side access opening. A second closure means may be included, and may have a free upper end and a pivotal "connection lower end, 'said lower end being effectively pivotally connected with respect to a second one of said lateral side walls adjacent the lower terminus of said second side access opening, and having its free upper end positioned .for eflective pivotal opening and closing movement with respect :to said side access opening. In a preferred form of the present invention, each of said closure means is e'lfectively concave on its body-facing port-ion there-by defining a chamber within said closure means accessible when said closure means is in open relationship with respect to the cooperable side access opening of the hollow body, said chamber being provided with at least one (usually a plurality) longitudinal object-supporting member having a central object-supporting ,portion and having at opposite ends thereof similarly transversely offset pivotal mounting .ends pivotally mounting said object-supporting portion across said chamber in a longitudinal direction virtually parallel to the longitudinal axis of pivotal connection of said closure means with respect to the body means. Selectively lockable and unlockable locking means may be included, which means may effectively cooperate with said first and second closure means to elfectively lock said first and second closure means in closed relationship across said first and seconud access openings.

In one of the specifically illustrated versions, the utility box of the present invention takes the form of a selectively openable tackle box and includes: a hollow upstanding body 1 having a virtually fiat horizontal underlying base 2 and side wall means including two opposed, virtually flat, virtually parallel laterally-spaced upstanding lateral side wall portions 3a and 3b terminating at a first virtually horizontally level, indicated at A and Au, and including two opposed virtually fiat virtually parallel longitudinally spaced upstanding end side wall portions 30 and 3d extending upwardly substantially higher than said .first horizontal levels A and Aa, and being virtually perpendicular to said lateral side wall portions 311 and 3b. In the specific example illustrated,

said two opposed lateral side walls 3a and 3b are procated at C, extending from the exterior of the hollow upstanding body 1 into the interior thereof, said .side access openings B and C being positioned immediately above said first horizontal levels A and Aa.

Included in the tackle box form of the present invention specifically illustrated, is a first closure means 4 having a free upper end 5 and a pivotal connection lower end 6, said lower end 6 being efiectively pivotally connected with respect to a first one of said lateral side walls 3a adjacent said first horizontal level A, and haviingits free upper end 5 positioned forelfective pivotal opening and closing movement with respect to said first side access opening B.

A'preferred form of the present invention, as specifical- 1y illustrated herein, includes a second closure means 411 having a free upper end 5a and a pivotal connection lower end 6a, said lower end 6a being efiectively pivotally connected with respect to a second one of said lateral side walls 3b adjacent said second horizontal level Aa and having its free upper end So positioned for etfective pivotal opening and closing movement with respect to said second side access opening C, each of said closure means 4 and 4a being efiectively concave on its bodyfacing portion thereby defining chambers 7 and 7a within said closure means 4 and 4a, and accessible when said closure means 4 and 4a are in open relationship with respect to the cooperable side access openings B and C of the hollow body 1.

When used as a tackle box, as specifically illustrated, said defining chambers 7 and '7a are provided with a plurality of similar spaced longitudinal object-supporting members 8 and 8a, each .having central upwardly opening object-supporting trays 9 and 9a and having, at opposite ends thereof, pivotal mounting ends 10 and 10a similarly transversely offset from the bottom of the corresponding tray '8 or 8a and pivotally mounting each of said trays -8 and 8a across said chambers 7 and 7a in a longitudinal direction virtually parallel to the longitudinal axis of pivotal connection of said closure means '4 and 4a with respect to the body means 1.

Also included in a preferred form of the present invention, as herein illustrated, is selectively lockable and unlockable locking means 11 effectively cooperable with said first and second closure means 4 and 4a to effectively lock said first and second closure means 4 and 4a in closed relationship across said first and second access openings B and 'C. Handle means 12 may also .be included for convenient carrying of said tackle box.

In one preferred form of the present invention, the hollow body 1 is provided with separating wall means 13 efiectively defining upper and lower compartments both accessible from said side access openings B and C and both efi'ectively closable by closure of said side access openings B and C by said first and second closure means 4 and 4a.

.Also, .in the preferred form of the present invention, the lower compartment in the center of the body 1 may be provided with at least one longitudinal object supporting member having a central upwardly opening object-supporting tray 14 having at opposite ends thereof pivotal mounting pins transversely offset from the bottom of said tray and ,pivotally mounting said tray across said compartment in a longitudinal direction.

It should "be noted that one specific modification of the present invention comprises a sewing kit box, which is generally similar to the first form of the present invention specifically described hereinabovealthough it may be somewhat smaller and/or made of dilferent materials, if desired. Therefore only certain portions of said specific modification are illustrated in Figs. '9 and 10, and similar parts are indicated by similar reference characters, primed however.

It should be noted that each of the closure means in the sewing kit modification of the invention illustrated in fragmentary form in Figs. 9 and 10, is similar to the closure means 4 and 4a of the first form of the present invention illustrated in Figs. l-8. Therefore, in order to conserve space, only a portion of a left closure means 4' will be illustrated in connection with the .sewing kit modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 9 and 1 0, since it will readily be understood that the right closure means is identical and similar to the right closure means 4a of the first form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1-8. Actually, the only changed structure in the sewing kit modification of the invention illustrated in 'Figs. 9 and 10, is each of the longitudinal objectsupporting members, and since all of these are identical in the sewing kit modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, only one such modified longitudinal object-supporting member is shown at 8'. It is provided with a central object-supporting portion 9' and has at opposite ends thereof similarly transversely offset pivotal the first form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-8); each of the central object-supporting portions 9 being provided with a plurality of upwardly directed longitudi-. nally spaced spool-hole-engageable pins 15 cooperable for insertion into the holes of a plurality of spools of thread 16 for mounting same.

Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention will occur to those skilled in the art after a careful study hereof. All such, properly within the basic scope and/or teachings of the present invention are intended to be included and comprehended herein as fully as if specifically described, illustrated and claimed herein.

For example, it should be noted that the shape and i configuration of the box (and/ or of the closure means) may be modified substantially without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

The means for pivotally mounting the closure means 'with respect to the box may be modified substantially, as may be locking means (which, in certain cases may be eliminated entirely).

The interior configuration and/or the compartmenting of the hollow interior of the box may be modified substantia1ly-in certain cases, the compartment being eliminated.

The longitudinal object-supporting members may be modified substantially from the tray form or spool-holding form shown in the illustrations.

The tray within the central portion of the hollow interior of the box may be modified substantially or, in certain forms, eliminated entirely.

It should also be noted that the utility box of the present invention could take the form of an artists paint box, a workbench box, a tool box, a general supply kit, etc. For still further example, the component parts thereof may be modified in considerable degree to be effectively cooperable with the specific intended use of the box.

The exact compositions, configurations, relative positionings and cooperative relationships of the various component parts of the present invention are not critical, and may be modified substantially within the basic teachings, spirit and scope of the present invention.

The embodiment of the present invention specifically described, illustrated and claimed herein is exemplary only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is intended to be interpreted in the light of the prior art and the appended claims only, with due consideration for the doctrine of equivalents.

I claim:

1. A selectively openable utility box, comprising: a hollow upstanding body having a flat horizontal underlying base and side wall means including two opposed flat parallel laterally spaced upstanding lateral side wall portions terminating at a first horizontal level and including two opposed flat parallel longitudinally spaced upstanding end side wall portions; said end side wall portions having central extensions extending upwardly substantially higher than said first horizontal level and having side portions at the same level as the lateral side wall portions; said end side wall portions being provided with cut-outs in each side thereof defining side access openings having a bottom wall at the said horizontal level of the lateral side wall portions; said central extensions have lower parallel portions, upwardly and outwardly diverging intermediate portions and upwardly and inwardly converging upper portions; closure means each having lower and upper side wall portions and end wall portions, the lower side wall portions being pivotally connected to the corresponding upper edges of the lateral side wall portionsof the body, the upper side wall portions of the closuresconverging at an angle corresponding to the angle defined by the converging upper portions of the central extensions of the end side wall portions and bearing thereagainst; the side closure means having closure end wall portions formed complementally to the side walls of the hollow body, each of said closure means defining with the said upstanding body a chamber; the said central extensions being coneffectively cooperable with the upper ends of the closure ,upper vside wall portions to effectively lock said closure means in closed relationship with the hollow upstanding body. i

2.: A selectively openable tackle box, comprising: a hollow upstanding body having a flat horizontal underlying base and side wall means including two opposed flat parallel laterally spaced upstanding lateral side wall portions terminating at a first horizontal level and including two opposed flat parallel longitudinally spaced upstanding end side wall portions; said end side wall portions having central extensions extending upwardly substantially higher than said first horizontal level and having side portions at the same level as the lateral side wall portions; said end side wall portions being provided with cut-outs in each side thereof defining side access openings having a bottom wall at the said horizontal level of the lateral side wall portions; said central extensions have lower parallel portions, upwardly and outwardly diverging intermediate portions and upwardly and inwardly converging upper portions; closure means each having lower and upper side wall portions and end wall portions, the lower side wall portions being pivotally connected to the corresponding upper edges of the lateral side wall portions of the body, the upper side wall portions of the closures converging at an angle corresponding to the angle defined by the converging upper portions of the central extensions of the end side wall portions and bearing thereagainst; the side closure means having closure end wall portions formed complementally to the side walls of the hollow body, each of said closure means defining with the said upstanding body a chamber; the said central extensions being connected by bottom and side walls defining an interior compartment; said closure means each being provided with a plurality of similarly spaced longitudinal object-supporting members, each having a central upwardly open object-supporting tray portion and each having at its opposite ends thereof single stud pivotal mounting ends similarly transversely offset from the bottom of said tray portion and pivotally mounting said object-supporting tray portion on the closure end wall portions across said closure means in a longitudinal direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pivotal connections of said closure means with respect to the body means; locking means efiectively cooperable with the upper ends of the closure upper side wall portions to eflectively lock said closure means in closed relationship with the hollow upstanding body.

3. A selectively openable sewing kit box, comprising: a hollow upstanding body having a flat horizontal underlying base and side wall means including two opposed flat parallel laterally spaced upstanding lateral side wall portions terminating at a first horizontal level and including two opposed flat parallel longitudinally spaced upstanding end side wall portions; said end side wall,

protions having central extensions extending upwardly substantially higher than said first horizontal level and having side portions at the "same level as the lateral side wall portions; said end side Wall portions being provided with cut-touts in each side thereof defining side access openings having a bottom 'wall at the said horizontal level of the lateral 'side wall portions; said central exte'nsions have lower parallel portions, upwardly and outwardly diverging 1 intermediate portions and upwardly and inwardly converging upper portions; closure means each having lower and 'upper side wall portions and end wall portions, the lower side wall portions being pivotally connected to the corresponding upper edges of the 'lateral side wall portions of the body, the upper side wall por- "t ions 'of the closures converging at an angle corresponding to the angle "defined by the converging upper 'portions of the central extensions of the end side wall portions and bearing 'thereagainst; the side closure means having closure end wall portions formed tcomplernentally to the sidewalls of the hollow body, each of said closure means defining with the said upstanding body a chamher; the said central extensions being connected by bottom and 'side walls defining an interior compartment; said closure means each being provided with a plurality of similarly spaced longitudinal object-supporting membersyeach having a central object-supportingportion and having .at its opposite ends thereof similarly transversely off-set single stud pivotal mounting'ends pivotally mounting said object-supportingportion on'the closure-end wan portions .across said closure 'means in a longitudinal direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of "the pivotal connections of said closure means with respect "to'the 'body means, each of said central object-supporting portions being provided with a plurality of upwardly directed longitudinally spaced spool-hole-engageable pins cooperable for insertion into the holes of a plurality of spools of thread for mounting'sarne; lockingmeans effec- 'tive'ly cooperable with the upper ends of the closure upper side wall portions to effectively lock said closure means in closed relationship with 'the hollow upstanding body.

Re'ferences Cited "in the file of 'this patent UNITED STATES vPz'XI'ENTS 

